I am not sure what's going on but our son will not, under any circumstance eat beef or chicken. The only other meat I've tried is ham which in ham and cheese biscuits he eats no problem.
This meat issue has gone on since he started solids. Last week I was so determined to get some meat into him that I took a minascule bit of chicken and smushed it up and added it to a tbsp. of whipped dessert topping to see if he'd eat it. (gross I know but creative) . There was no way he could taste of smell it and sure enough he spit it out instantly and fussed.
This week I tried beef. Months ago he ate a small bowl of stew and a few pieces of beef one night from out dinner. Since then he hasn't touched it. He spits it out instantly. Today I tried microscopic pieces added to a carrot muffin he loves. Sure enough out it came and he was wiping his tongue and started fussing.
Can he be THIS picky to meat or is there something more to it? Has anyone else dealt with this?

Thanks for replying. I did end up giving him benadryl yesterday. He was fussy afterwards and sure enough his shoulder, neck and under his chin going up to his ear started to get a red rash with hives.
Ironically this is another of the foods our allergist actually did test for last month due to the fact I really was concerned why he never will put meat into his mouth without instantly being bothered and spitting it out. The test for beef and chicken came up neg. That seems to mean nothing with out little guy as he has a seems to have a pattern of testing neg. the first time then later on has mild reactions to this same item, then the next time he has a huge reaction. Then when test again it come up positive. I won't try any more meat as the mama guilt set in once the hives set in. I have been worried about him getting protein but I really see now he wasn't being picky but really knows his body and what bothers him. Apparently to the very young and the very old this is a common problem. Something to do with their skin sensitivity and it takes a while for what they are reacting to 'inside' to show on the skin prick. We are very thankful to have such a good allergist, he has gone above and beyond in seeing our son. Even he calls our son a complicated little boy.
Even thought my gut really wondered what was going on I kept telling myself the skin pricks were neg. and he was just being a picky eater. I should know by now this little guy has down pat what will bother him. He's never been wrong yet!!!!!!!!!

....any ideas on protein??? He eats yogurt (gelatin free), milk and I try and sneak hard cheese in here and there. I add a tsp. of wheat germ to his yogurt daily. He must avoid all legumes with the exception of green beans. I'd appreciate any other tips on how to boost his daily protein intake.

I noticed that he's allergic to gelatin. This is found in connective tissue and so can be found in meat. (more so in meats near the bone or joint)
Have you tried pork, lamb or turkey? I would try a cut that is as free of connective tissue as possible (pork loin comes to mind).

BC2007, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry to hear about your son and his potential allergy to beef and chicken. It's really tough to be going through this, and I certainly understand your concern in finding appropriate sources of protein given his list of allergens. I was also going to suggest pork/ham since he seemed okay with the ham in the biscuit. Also, you could consider a safe multi-vitamin. Our sons have similar allergies, and we have found a safe multi-vitamin for our son. Your son is quite young, but I used to use the multi-vitamin drops when our son was young. When he could begin chewing a multi-vitamin (maybe 4 years old) I searched for a safe vitamin and discovered Flintstones Plus Iron - for kids that sometimes don't eat meat, fish and green veggies (my son is not a picky eater, but his food allergies prevent eating some healthy foods.) Here is the link to this specific vitamin:

Thanks Julie. Although I see the one you listed contains no gelatin I previously did contact them and all vitamins are off limits as they process many which contain gelatin (the chewy gummy ones). I've even found that many of the hard children's vitamins in other brands also contain gelatin. AAAAAA, I think I'm having a mommy melt down day!!

Susan, GREAT tip regarding connective tissue. Who knew I'd be researching meat cuts!! Ah, parents of allergic children must have the widest and oddest range of knowledge out there.

Susan I think you hit the nail on the head. This is good news and bad news, one more food group to be weary of but at least we now know to look up certain cuts of meat and certain ways in which to cook them that may not cause the gelatin to be released.
Thanks so much for the tip as WHO KNEW, I sure didn't!!

Collagen is the protein that makes up connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments.... collagen is heated for a long period of time at relatively low temperatures ) it will breakdown into soft gelatin.
... cuts from the more muscle-bound chuck (or shoulder), round (or back leg) and breast, side and foreshanks have more flavor, but are also tougher. They become tender when cooked ...braising and stewing are particularly effective for tougher cuts of meats, which have a lot of collagen, or connective tissue.
... the slow heat penetration allows more time for increased conversion of collagen to gelatin. Skin is mostly collagen, as are the tendons that connect muscles to bones. Collagen is soluble in water and when it is cooked slowly with moist heat, it becomes gelatin. You can also make collagen less tough by slicing up meat into smaller pieces, which makes the fibers smaller and easier to break apart.

Skin is mostly collagen, as are the tendons that connect muscles to bones.
Weight-bearing muscles and muscles that are constantly used contain higher amounts of collagen than muscles that aren't used for support or aren't used as frequently. Cows and pigs have higher amounts of collagen in the legs, chest, and rump. Pork is generally more tender than beef because pigs are usually slaughtered at a younger age than cows, and so their muscles are less developed and have less collagen than do those of cows.Cuts with less collagen

Meat cuts such as fillet and striploin contain little connective tissue so suit dry heat cooking methods such as grilling, or searing and short high-temperature roasting.

Hi BC2007
Sorry to hear about your son, hard when they are so young they cannot tell you how they feel. When my niece was very little my sister tried very hard to feed her egg in every way possible even angle food cake to no avail only to find out later that she was allergic to egg! I think even if the little ones cannot articulate how they feel they are still telling us in the only way they know how. I think if you have tried in more than one way of serving certain types of food and they still spit it out I would trust your gut feeling and your child.
When I was tested and was told I was allergic to pork, I had never had a severe reaction to it but I just knew something was wrong, every time I ate it I just felt not right. Cant explain, just not right. I hope it all comes to light in the near future for you and your son.

_________________Me-Allergic to Peanut, Tree Nut, Coconut, Shellfish, ASA and Asthma
My Husband and Children No Allergies

My daughter is allergic to beef as well, though luckily she tolerates chicken. Keep trying different meats: turkey, bison, lamb. Just one or two are helpful in your diet. You can also supplement protein with a bit of hemp, in powder form you can add it to other foods, or you can get it as milk. Sunflower butter has a bit of protein as well, and can be used in place of peanut butter.

You are not a bad mommy. And this kiddo is going to be eating very healthy foods! I have noticed that people with food allergies are more aware of the foods they eat (for obvious reasons) and tend to start eating more healthy stuff and less processed junk, both out of necessity and because they chose to after learning so much!

I found that I am allergic to lamb, of all things! Who on earth is allergic to lamb??!! This is typically considered a hypoallergenic food and is usually the first meat given to babies. So yes, it is possible to be allergic to anything. If your son doesn't like chicken or beef for any reason, I wouldn't force it on him. You certainly gave it the good old college try, so you can't be faulted in any way if he won't eat it. In this case, he may know something you don't.

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